Element of Change
by beeftony
Summary: Alternate ending to the first season finale. Korra contemplates simply leaving things to the next Avatar, and Asami talks some sense into her. Korrasami.


Korra made her way out to the icy bluffs overlooking the great ocean. As she surveyed the majestic horizon, her heart sank even lower. It had once been a symbol that the world was so vast that it stretched out to where she could no longer see it, but now it was just millions of miles of water that she would never manipulate again.

She dipped her head and a single tear leaked out, plummeting a hundred feet to the icy waters below.

"_Once I take away your bending, you will be _nothing."

Though she had imagined the words, they still echoed through Korra's mind as though Amon had actually spoken them. She frowned. They had stopped Amon's revolution, but he had succeeded where it counted most: he took away her bending.

And to make things worse the vile lizardcrow had gotten away.

Even though everybody around her insisted otherwise, Korra _felt_ like she was nothing. Even though she had finally learned how to airbend, she had traded three elements for only one. She was no different from any other bender now.

"Probably better if I just end it now, huh girl?" she asked Naga, who emitted a low whine. "I mean, I did my job, right? I don't have a purpose anymore. Maybe the next Avatar can do better."

She moved her foot over the edge and prepared to leap off into oblivion.

"No."

A hand grasped hers tighter than a mechanical vise and refused to let go, pulling her back from the edge, turning her around. Korra gaped in surprise. "Asami?"

Asami Sato glared at her with so much fury in her eyes that she almost looked like a firebender. "Why were you trying to do that? Why would you even _say_ those things?"

"Because they're true?" She narrowed her eyes right back at her. "I did what I was supposed to do. I saved Republic City from Amon's revolution."

"And now you want to...?" Asami could not even say it. "What's _wrong_ with you, Korra?"

"There's nothing left here for me anymore!" Korra shouted. "All I can do is airbend, and I'm never going to get the other elements back! Bending was _everything_ to me, and I wasn't good enough to stop Amon from taking it away! If I die now, the next Avatar won't have to live the rest of their life knowing they're a failure!"

A hand smacked hard across her cheek before she even knew what was happening. Asami grabbed her by the arms and locked her into that vise-like grip again, staring right into her eyes.

"Listen to me, Korra. You are _not_ a failure. Don't you ever say that. Don't even _think _it. You're amazing."

"You don't have to say that," she insisted, shutting her eyes while more tears fell out. "I'm not the Avatar anymore."

"Why do you have to be the Avatar for me to think you're amazing?" Asami retorted. "Do you know why I admire you, Korra? It's because you're strong, brave, and you have more conviction than anybody else I know. That has nothing to do with how many elements you can bend. That's just who _you _are."

Korra sniffled and opened her eyes again to find that Asami's face had adopted a warm, comforting expression. "Being the Avatar isn't about bending all four elements," she continued. "It's about restoring balance whenever the world loses it. And that's _exactly_ what you did even after Amon took your bending, so don't you _dare_ tell me you're not the Avatar anymore."

She released her grip on Korra's arms, only for the Avatar to lunge forward and hug her.

"Thank you," she whispered in between tears. "Thank you for telling me that. I needed it."

"Not a problem," Asami uttered back. "Just promise me you won't ever scare me like that again."

They separated after a few moments, and Korra's smile was bittersweet. "You know, even though he turned out to be a huge phony, Amon did kinda have a point. Some benders _do _use their powers to gain an advantage over others. I just never realized how different it feels not being able to bend. I guess now's my chance to find out."

Asami chuckled and put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, we do alright. And besides, you can still airbend."

"Yeah," she agreed. "There's still that."

There were footsteps in the snow behind them.

"Mako, didn't Tenzin tell you to give Korra some space?" Bolin whined as he tried ineffectually to stop his brother from intruding on the scene.

Korra laughed. "It's alright. Come here, you two."

They did, and the four of them embraced in a group hug. After they separated, Mako smiled at Korra.

Asami did not.

"Mako," she began, leading him aside. "I think there's something we've been needing to do for a while now."

He frowned. "Which is?"

"We need to break up."

Mako opened his mouth to protest, but sighed instead. "I agree."

"I need you to understand why I'm doing it," she continued. "You've been paying more attention to Korra than me ever since she got kidnapped. And we've been over why you reacted that way, but I don't want to be in a relationship where you're thinking of someone you'd _rather_ be dating."

"I understand," he said dejectedly, looking down. "But why are you telling me this now? In front of them?"

It was Asami's turn to sigh. "So that I won't feel _quite _so bad about doing _this_."

Without warning she turned around and grabbed the sides of Korra's head, pulling her into a long, passionate kiss.

Mako clenched his fists and bent fire from them without meaning to, while Bolin was rendered speechless.

"What on earth did you do _that_ for?"

"Because _you_ did the same thing while we were dating and _you never told me_," she reminded him harshly, jabbing a finger into his chest. She broke away and started walking back toward the White Lotus compound. "We're even now. Go on and date each other to your heart's content."

"Um, actually," Korra piped in with a raised finger, turning to Mako. "I hate to ruin your day even more, but the reason I walked away from you before was... I've been doing a lot of thinking and..." She took a deep breath. "You're still my friend, and I'd do anything for you, but when you told me you loved me... I realized that I don't feel the same way. Not anymore."

She looked at Asami. "Also, uh, that kiss felt kind of amazing and I'd like another one, please."

Mako looked between both of them, then huffed and stormed away. Korra frowned.

"Ah, he'll get over it," Bolin insisted, patting her shoulder. "I think."

He gestured his fingers back and forth between them. "So... you're a she, and she's a she... just two shes doing things that hes and shes do..."

"Bolin, you _cannot_ be this naïve," Asami said in perfect deadpan.

"Right, right, it just comes as a surprise is all," he began, walking backwards so that he was still facing them. "I'll just let you two be alone. You alone people, you." He turned around and started bolting after Mako to escape the awkward situation.

"So," Asami said playfully as she sidled back over to Korra. "It felt amazing, huh?"

The Avatar nodded.

"And you want another one?"

"Oh yeah."

She smiled. "Well, you did say please."

Their lips met again, and this time Korra was able to contribute her part of the kiss, which she had been too shocked to do before. They separated after what felt like a lifetime, breathing heavily.

"I really had you pegged wrong when I first met you," Korra admitted. "I thought bending was the most important thing in the world, but you manage to get along just fine without it. I'd really like to get to know you better."

"Me too."

Korra chuckled. "This really isn't how I imagined all this ending."

"Well, who said endings were perfect?" Asami shrugged. "Besides, I get the feeling this is just the beginning."

They kissed again, and they continued until the sun sank below the waves.


End file.
